Power Metals Corp is a Canadian exploration company focused on acquiring, exploring, and developing critical mineral assets—most notably in the lithium and cesium sectors. Its flagship Case Lake Project is located northeastern Ontario.
We asked CEO Haydn Daxter How is Power Metals Corp positioned to potentially become the first wholly owned North American producer of Cesium?
“The Company has conducted over 8,000m of exploration drilling during 2024 at Case Lake to further define the cesium, and tantalum potential on the property. Work has commenced on defining our maiden mineral resource and preliminary economic assessment studies as we target production in 2026. The Company has received support from local stakeholders, state and federal governments in Canada, along with a large amount of interest from strategic partners to move the critical minerals project forward.
Case Lake is set to be the world’s fourth high grade cesium deposit and sole producing mine in the near term that is pivotal for the critical minerals required in North America.
In early 2024 we took the decision to establish a firm position on the cesium across from the property from historical drilling conducted in 2018 and 2022, being able to pivot to other critical minerals on the property has proven to be a massive step for the Company. Last year we set some very aggressive targets and will continue to do so for 2025 as we unlock the value at Case Lake.”
PWM‑24‑237: 11.15 m at 7.65% Cs₂O
PWM‑24‑236: 9.04 m at 6.49% Cs₂O
PWM‑24‑207 overall: 8.65 m at 5.74% Cs₂O
Background
Cesium (Cs), atomic number 55, is one of the most reactive and least abundant elements in the Earth’s crust. With a striking silvery-gold appearance and a melting point near room temperature (about 28.5 °C or 83.3 °F), cesium stands out among the alkali metals. Its remarkable properties have led to applications ranging from the precision of atomic clocks to specialized industrial drilling fluids. However, cesium’s rarity and extreme reactivity have also dictated careful handling, specialized extraction methods, and unique processing techniques in metallurgy.
Over the past decades, only a few mines worldwide have produced cesium from pollucite, and most of these operations have now closed. For example, the Tanco Mine in Manitoba, Canada—once a major cesium source—shut down after a mine collapse in 2015, with its assets subsequently sold to Sinomine, restarting production again in 2021. In Zimbabwe, the Bikita Mine produced cesium as a by‑product until its economically recoverable reserves were depleted around 2018. Similarly, the Sinclair Mine in Western Australia, which exploited a high‑grade pollucite deposit, ceased its cesium production in 2019. Today, primary cesium mining has effectively ended, and the market relies on legacy production and secondary recovery rather than ongoing large‑scale mining operations.
Uses
Atomic Clocks and Timekeeping
Cesium Atomic Clocks:
The most famous use of cesium is in atomic clocks. The isotope Cs-133 serves as the timekeeping standard because its atoms oscillate at a precise frequency of 9,192,631,770 Hz. These clocks provide the basis for the International System of Units (SI) definition of the second and are critical for global positioning systems (GPS), telecommunications, and high-speed data networks.
Petroleum Drilling and Fluids
Cesium Formate Brine:
In the oil and gas industry, a compound known as cesium formate is used to formulate drilling fluids. These fluids have high density and low viscosity, which help stabilize boreholes and reduce the risk of blowouts during drilling operations. Their properties make them especially valuable in deep or challenging drilling environments.
Scientific Research
Quantum and Atomic Physics:
Cesium atoms are frequently used in research exploring the fundamentals of quantum mechanics. They are integral to experiments involving cold atom physics, including the creation of Bose–Einstein condensates, which allow scientists to study matter under extreme conditions.
Spectroscopy and Metrology:
Due to its well-defined spectral lines, cesium is useful in various spectroscopic techniques that require precision measurements. This is particularly important in developing new materials and studying atomic interactions.
Electronics and Photoelectric Applications
Photoelectric Devices:
Cesium compounds are employed in photoelectric cells and vacuum tubes because of their ability to emit electrons readily when exposed to light. This property has been harnessed in sensors, night vision devices, and specialized types of photodetectors.
Nuclear Applications
Radioisotope Cs-137:
Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope produced as a byproduct in nuclear reactors, is used in medical radiotherapy for cancer treatment, industrial gauging devices, and as a calibration source in radiation detection instruments.
Safety and Disposal Considerations:
Due to its radioactivity, Cs-137 is handled with strict safety protocols, and its use is highly regulated to ensure environmental and human safety.
Emerging and Specialized Uses
Material Science and Catalysis:
Researchers are investigating new uses for cesium in advanced materials and catalytic processes, exploring how its unique electron configuration might enhance reaction efficiencies or lead to the development of novel compounds.
Aerospace and Defense:
In some specialized aerospace and defense applications, cesium’s unique properties are exploited in experimental technologies and sensors, where precision and stability are required under extreme conditions.
Cesium Pricing
Some chemical suppliers list high‐purity cesium metal (typically 99.5%–99.98% on a metals basis) with prices ranging roughly from US $70–$160 per gram. One source shows an Alfa Aesar product available at around US $98–$117 per gram, while other suppliers (such as those seen on ChemicalBook) offer similar products at comparable prices.
According to the Shanghai Metals Market/SMM page, cesium (specified as Cs ≥ 99.5%) currently trades at about 2,639 USD per ounce (VAT excluded), with its historical range running roughly from 2,262 to 3,016 USD/oz. Cesium is a specialty metal used mainly in high‑tech applications such as atomic clocks and oilfield drilling fluids, and it’s not traded in the same volumes as gold.
Gold:
On the other hand, live gold spot price charts from sources like Kitco and other market data providers show that gold is trading around 2,870 USD per troy ounce. Gold is a widely traded precious metal with a long history as a store of value
Comparison
Based on these figures, gold is currently about 9–10% more expensive per ounce than cesium. It’s important to note, however, that despite the somewhat similar per‑ounce pricing, the two metals are very different in terms of market dynamics and usage. Gold is a major precious metal with broad investment, jewelry, and central bank demand, while cesium’s niche role in industrial and scientific applications means its market is much smaller and less liquid.
Geological Setting
Pollucite is a rare zeolite mineral that forms predominantly in highly differentiated granite pegmatites. Its geological formation involves several key processes and conditions:
Formation Environment – Granite Pegmatites:
Pollucite is typically found in lithium‐cesium‐tantalum (LCT) pegmatites. These pegmatites form during the final stages of crystallization of granitic magmas. As a magma cools slowly, incompatible elements (those that do not fit into the crystal structures of the early‐formed minerals) become concentrated in the residual melt. Cesium, along with lithium, tantalum, and rubidium, is one such element. This enrichment process leads to the formation of unusual, sometimes very coarse‐grained, mineral assemblages. In the case of pollucite, the residual melt eventually reaches conditions favorable for the crystallization of this cesium‐rich zeolite.
Melt Fractionation and Immiscibility:
During the late magmatic stage, as the residual melt becomes enriched in volatile components (e.g., water) and incompatible elements, it may undergo extensive fractional crystallization. In some models, melt immiscibility (where two immiscible liquid phases form) is invoked to explain the segregation of a cesium‐rich melt. In this scenario, droplets of an immiscible phase with an analcime‐like composition become enriched in cesium. These droplets eventually crystallize to form pollucite. Such processes help explain why pollucite is often found in massive, nearly monomineralic bodies within pegmatites.
Structural and Chemical Conditions:
Pollucite crystallizes in the isometric (cubic) crystal system, typically forming as massive, granular aggregates rather than well‐formed crystals. Its ideal chemical formula is (Cs,Na)₂(Al₂Si₄O₁₂)·2H₂O, indicating that cesium is a major component, although some sodium substitutes for cesium. The structure is that of a zeolite, meaning it has a framework of linked silicate tetrahedra (with some aluminum substitution) that creates channels or cages which can accommodate water molecules and cations. The stability of this structure is sensitive to the conditions of crystallization, such as temperature, pressure, and the composition of the residual melt.
Tectonic Setting and Occurrence:
Pollucite is primarily associated with highly fractionated granitic pegmatites that are formed in continental crustal settings. A prime example is the Tanco Mine in Manitoba, Canada, where the pegmatite—emplaced in a granitic environment—has produced the largest known reserves of pollucite. Here, the pegmatite formed as part of a zoned intrusion where different mineral assemblages crystallized in distinct layers. Pollucite typically occurs with other lithium- and cesium-bearing minerals, such as spodumene, lepidolite, and petalite, indicating that the entire system experienced strong enrichment in incompatible elements.
Hydrothermal Overprint:
In some cases, after the initial magmatic crystallization, later hydrothermal fluids may further modify the pegmatite. Such fluids can enhance the concentration of cesium by leaching out other components, thereby promoting secondary enrichment of pollucite. This stage may also lead to the replacement of earlier-formed minerals or the development of veins within the pegmatite.
In summary, the geological formation of pollucite is a multistage process that begins with the late-stage crystallization of a granitic magma, during which incompatible elements like cesium become highly concentrated. Fractional crystallization, sometimes accompanied by melt immiscibility, allows for the segregation of a cesium-rich phase that ultimately crystallizes as pollucite in the pegmatite. This process typically occurs in the context of large, zoned pegmatites within continental granitic systems, often followed by minor hydrothermal alteration that can further concentrate cesium.
